


I Will Cross The Divide

by orphan_account



Series: The First Guardian [1]
Category: The Last Guardian (Video Game)
Genre: The Last Guardian, also important platonic relationships galore, first fic ive seen for this actually, oh boy, reuniting trico and the boy, this fic is gon be FLUFFY AS FUCK
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-09-11 17:51:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9000634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: It is said that I died.This is not the case. I left the tribe. I had a reason. He was calling me. I'm going to find him again.





	1. he taught me how to be brave

**Author's Note:**

> My first long, properly thought out piece of fanwork. Also the first fanfiction for The Last Guardian that I've seen so far. I can't wait to write all of this- hope you enjoy!

_It is said that I died._

_This is not the case._

_I left the tribe. I had a reason._

_He was calling me._

\---

The morning was quiet, calm. A man sat on the ground, a smooth, round mirror in his lap. Strange tattoos marred his body - covering him from head to toe; his hands, feet, and face the only skin left bare. He fidgeted with the mirror, fingers trailing over the grooves and markings in the silver material. It glowed softly in the gloomy dawn lighting, and the man was the only one awake in his village. Others would be waking soon. He still had not decided on what he was going to do.

"Shirou, why are you up?"

The man looked up from the mirror at the woman who had spoken. He shrugged a little, head tilting to look back down at the mirror, fingers trailing the grooves in a lazy, tired way. The lines glowed a soft blue, casting light onto Shirou and the woman's face.

"I could not sleep. So I got up. I needed some time to think, anyways."

"Ah, Shirou. Wise decisions. I hope you are satisfied with what you thought about."

The man shifted uncomfortably; he wasn't satisfied with what he'd thought about. He was unsure of what to do; should he look for the creature, for the Valley? He felt a pang of loneliness and grief - he missed the beast more than he thought he would. It had been over twenty years, yet he still remembered the bright, curious eyes. The growl, the roar. The wings, the loving gestures. How he would fight to the death to protect Shirou.

"You are most definitely troubled." A spark of amusement shone in Maeva's eyes. "Go on, I know you want to talk about it."

At Shirou's hesitation, Maeva sat down, cross-legged, next to him. She reached out, cupping his cheek with all the tenderness she did over twenty years ago. Even as an old woman, she was able to get a man to drop his guard, to spill their troubles, to simply relax.

"It is just you and I awake right now. Go on, speak to me."

Shirou glanced down at the mirror, beginning to fidget with it once again. "I miss him." He tilted his head, eyes on the mirror, hands tracing the runes. "I miss the beast. More than I ever thought I would. I know he is alive - he's calling me, in a way. I want to see him again. I want to go back to the Valley."

A moment of silence. Shirou looked up at the older woman in front of him, her blue eyes twinkling.

"Then go," she put her hand on top of Shirou's. "Go and find him."

"I wouldn't be able to get into the Valley."

Maeva just laughed, shaking her head. "Not with that attitude. You are a small man - perhaps there is a way in for you!" She stood, pulling her silver hair out of her face.

"You made a bond with this beast years ago. Time cannot destroy that bond. You care for him like he is your own." She leaned in close, hovering in front of Shirou's face.

"So go find him."  She pulled back, giving the man room to stand.

He did, tossing the mirror over his back. "I will tell the village, at least. I do not want to just leave them."

"If that is what you wish, then go ahead. May I suggest that you maybe prepare as well? It will be a long trek; you will need to pack supplies to start off."

The man nodded, a tired haze in his eyes. Maeva chuckled.

"Or, you can go sleep. I will deal with the rest."

Shirou smiled at her, murmuring his thanks. He walked back to his own little hut, a measly building made of wood and stone. He fell asleep quickly, to the sound of others waking up around him.

\---

"Itsuki, he is a grown man who can make his own choices. He wishes to find his friend again. So let. Him. Go."

Maeva stared up at them with a piercing gaze, Itsuki glancing away; they were reluctant to allow him to go. They would lose a warrior, a strong part of their village. He could die out in the woods, alone. He would never make it. That they were sure of.

Shirou wouldn't come back.

Itsuki, the leader of the tribe, ran a hand through their hair, sighing, shoulders slumping.

"Fine. He can go."

Maeva smiled, eyes shining. "He would've gone anyways, even if you did not allow it."

She turned, striding off. She would give Shirou the news later. For now, she had to pack for him. He would need food and water to start him off. His journey would take weeks.

Maeva knew he would finish it, too. Shirou would make it - he would live to see that beast again. The connection was strong enough to make him suffer the trek.

Maeva entered her own hut, gathering fruits and other foods that would last him about a week. She stared down at the small pack, one hand resting on the cloth. A sad smile tugged at her lips. She tied the pack, carrying it to Shirou's hut. He would leave the next morning; she wouldn't allow him to leave until then.

She peered into the dark room. The man was sound asleep. She left the pack on the table, watching Shirou sleep for a moment.

She turned, leaving the room.

\---

The room was pitch black when Shirou awoke, curtains pulled over the windows. He sat up, peering outside - he had slept through the entire day. The moon was covered by a thick swath of clouds, the stars obscured by the same dark blanket. He left the house without noticing the pack, picking up the mirror that sat by the door.

He walked into the empty field, staring up at the sky. The urge to leave right then was strong; he wanted to go. Wanted to find him again. Wanted to feel the soft feathers under his hands. Hear the purring rumble of its satisfaction. The wind ruffled his hair, whipping at his face.

He could leave. He could run. He knew he could. He wanted to, it was like the beast was pulling him towards it. He knew where to go.

Not yet.

He had to wait a little longer. He would say goodbye in the morning. Turning his back to the houses, he walked to the edge of the forest, sitting in the grass, mirror in his lap. His fingers traced the runes, the marks glowing a soft blue-green. He jumped as the tattoos covering him lit up as well, and the mirror shone its light into the woods, the design falling onto a nearby tree trunk.

Shirou half-expected lightning to strike the tree, but Trico was definitely too far away for that. The creature wouldn't be able to see it.

Memories of the blinding flashes pierced Shirou's mind like the lightning itself.

Along with them came pain. The marks on his skin burned. He dropped the mirror like it was on fire, falling to his knees with a breathless cry. It quickly faded, the glow vanishing with it. He sat for a moment, regaining control over his breathing. Thankfully, he hadn't woken anyone with his cries.

Shirou tentatively reached for the mirror, hesitant to touch it. A hand brushed it - nothing happened. He gently pulled it closer, wiping dirt off of its surface.

"... Just a memory, nothing more than that." He sat back, glancing up at the sky again.

He wondered if any soldiers remained. Did they all die off when the Master of the Valley was destroyed? Or did they still stand, in wait for their next victim?

Shirou figured he could hold them off by himself this time.

He would have to find out when he went.

\---

A girl laid on the floor of the Nursery, woken by a cry of pain from outside. She didn't dare to move; fear had her rooted to the spot. She carefully sat up, pushing long strands of black hair from her eyes.

She peered outside, seeing the older man sitting by the woods, glowing with a green-blue light. The glow quickly vanished, leaving the man hunched over, carefully prodding at a mirror.

It was Shirou. All the kids enjoyed his stories. Aoife carefully stepped over another child, creeping outside. The wind gently tousled her hair as she approached the older man. She didn't want to speak, in case she disturbed him. She probably wasn't even supposed to be up - well, no, she most definitely was not supposed to be up. She just didn't care.

"Shirou?"

The man jumped a little at the sound of the girl's voice. He turned.

A small frown formed on his features. "Child, why are you awake? Go back to sleep. It's late."

Aoife narrowed her eyes. This man wouldn't tell her what to do. "Why are _you_ awake?"

Shirou scowled. "Do not take that tone with your elders, little girl. Go back to bed, Aoife."

"I'm not little."

"You are certainly acting like it," Shirou's grip on the mirror tightened, "go back to bed."

Aoife put her hands on her hips, face set in a determined expression.

Her expression faltered when the marks on Shirou's skin began to glow softly, not much brighter than the moon that hid behind the clouds.

"Go, Aoife. I will not tell you again."

The girl whirled around, hair whipping out behind her, smacking Shirou's chin and neck like the bristles of a broom. She stomped off, leaving the man to his over dramatic sulking.

She laid back down in the Nursery, head resting on her hands, hair splayed out behind her.

She had hoped to simply fall back asleep, but fate had other plans. She laid awake for the entire night, listening to the sounds of nature outside. A soft blue-green glow filtered through the window.

The sky was beginning to lighten before she fell asleep.

A few minutes later, she awoke with images of a great, feathery beast flashing through her mind.

\---

Shirou sat at his table, deep in thought. The beast. What was he doing now? What did he do when he returned to the Valley? Did he miss Shirou?

Shirou knew he missed him.

He wanted to go already, but Maeva had demanded that he waited - waited just a little longer. She knew things that others didn't, he was bound to listen to her on matters such as these.

But he was still itching to leave. He wanted to be out there, sun shining down on him and the beast as Trico played. He smiled; Trico was always especially adorable when he was happy. The creature was precious to him. His own little child. In the form of a giant man-eating beast.

Shirou stood, looking outside at all of the people running about; working, playing, talking. He would join them, he just wasn’t in the mood. It was hard to socialize and get things done when your mind was elsewhere. At least in Shirou’s many experiences it was. He could never get anything done because he was always _thinking_ , Itsuki would tell him. He needed to get his head out of the clouds; they would say that all the time.

Maeva always encouraged his habit of getting lost in thought, even when he was a small child. The other children would run and play. His mother would tell him, "Go, play with the other children. Enjoy yourself. Sitting around will get you nowhere." Meanwhile, Maeva would say the opposite. Daydream. Spend your time creating if that is what makes you happy.

Shirou listened to Maeva more than his own mother, which was probably the reason she didn’t seem thrilled when Shirou returned from his adventure with the beast. She was glad he was safe, but his appearance around the village didn’t seem to bring her any joy.

Shirou eventually just accepted the fact that his mother didn’t want to see him very often. He spent more time with Maeva, with the other elders of the village. The elders would tell him stories, and he would tell of his own adventures with Trico in return. The elders always enjoyed them. The other children didn’t necessarily care, at least not as much as the elders.

Shirou ended up accepting that too. The other kids didn’t like him, half of the adults didn’t like him - he was fine with that. After a while, at least.

The man watched a few children run about the center of the village, playing in the dirt and mud. Not like they cared what happened to their clothes. Their mothers certainly did, though. They would all watch with scornful expressions, and mutter to each other about how often they had to clean the robes.

It was somewhat amusing to Shirou’s eyes. He watched them play a little longer, then left his house, going to find Maeva. He was leaving soon, so he had to let her know. He arrived at her door, knocking on it gently. A muffled voice behind the door called for him to come in.

He shut the door behind him, turning to face the older woman. She smiled at him.

“I assume you’re here to tell me you’re leaving.”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
Maeva tilted her head. “Very well. Why don’t you go tell Itsuki, then? They will want to know.”

Shirou nodded, leaving the house and searching the village for Itsuki. He found them sitting behind the Nursery, shadows hiding their face, the hair falling down their shoulders contributing to that as well.

"Good morning. I hope you are rested enough - I want you to be able to go as soon as you want to."

Shirou sat across from them, nodding. "Yes. I was going to leave in a few minutes."

Itsuki was weaving a basket, hands working quickly. "Before you do," one strand over another, then under, "I never did get to hear all of the details about your adventures all those years ago. I suppose I was too busy, learning to run the tribe and whatnot. So can you at least tell me about the creature you're going back to?"

Shirou blinked, then smiled a little. "Of course."

He leaned back, tilting his head. "His name is Trico. He is supposedly a 'man-eating beast', however he never seemed to want to do me harm. He grew attached to me, and I to him. It was amazing, how fond he was of me. He risked his life multiple times to save me."

A thoughtful frown. "He was injured at first. Angry. Hungry, too. I fed him. Pulled spears from his sides. I got thrown into a wall. It was an accident, but I couldn't think very well when I woke up. Had an awful headache for an hour or so. We ended up travelling through the ruins of the temple until I found a way out."

Shirou looked down at his hands. "I had wanted to leave him behind. I had told him I was going to leave. He followed me anyways, thank God he did. I don't know if I would be alive if he hadn't. We kept going, solving puzzles and the like. We came across a cage-like feature."

Shirou's face drew into an expression of worry. "The cage distressed Trico beyond belief. He almost killed me. He wouldn't wake up afterwards, at least not until I was in danger. His timing was perfect. There were soldiers - made of armor and magic. They kept trying to get me. We fought them many times."

Shirou smiled grimly, eyes narrowing. "Those things were obliterated the moment Trico hit them, with his claws or his lightning. It didn't matter what. They were dead the moment Trico laid eyes on them. It was a terrifying sight, actually. Trico was scary when he was angry. He took forever to calm down as well. He just wanted to protect me."

Itsuki continued to weave. Shirou kept talking.

"We kept going. I fed him, cared for him, treated him like my own. He would watch out for me as well. We were trying to get to his nest. The Nest. I still don't understand what that place was about. Tricos would fly there and feed. At least I think so. When we arrived, many others soon showed up."

Shirou winced. "My poor companion. He wanted to protect me. The other Tricos bit him, attacked him. It was awful, the sounds he made while writhing there. I saved him, but he was still horribly injured."

Shirou's expression grew sour. "He saved me. He brought me back." His tone turned bitter. "And everyone just shunned him away. Treated him like a _monster_ because they couldn't see past the claws and the animal. He cared about me, and nobody seemed to notice. They would've attacked him had I not sent him away."

Itsuki paused in their weaving, reaching out to put their hand on Shirou's.

"Go, Shirou. Go find him again. You miss him. So just go. Don't wait around anymore. Go find you friend."

The man took a deep breath, composing himself. "Okay. Thank you, Itsuki. I may not come back from this."

Itsuki opened their mouth, then closed it. They hesitantly spoke. "Shirou, I don't want you to come back. If you don't come back, we can hope that you're just living with him, happy and content. Please."

The man stared at Itsuki, one hand drawing away. "I… okay. Alright. I won't. I'll stay with him when I find him."

A sad smile. "Thank you."

\---

"Shirou, we are sad to say goodbye, but we do hope that you get a happy ending. We all wish you luck, and we will miss you."

Maeva smiled brightly, eyes twinkling. "And tell your Trico that we all say hello."

Shirou laughed a little, mirror slung over one shoulder, his pack slung over the other.

"Be careful, okay? Don't get hurt."

"I will be."

He walked into the woods, pausing to glance back once. The village waved, the sun shone overhead - Shirou just wanted to run.

He walked until he was out of sight, then took a deep breath to compose himself. He was finally going. Finally going back. He'd wanted this since the day Trico left.

He let out a breathless laugh. "I'm going to see him again. I'm actually going to." He kept mumbling to himself; he was letting his guard down with no one around.

He kept walking, stopping for a break after an hour or so. He sat against a tree, just to catch his breath. He wasn't too far from the village, there was still the opportunity to turn back if he rethought his decision. He was determined, however, to find his friend again.

He was too deep in thought to notice the girl ducking into hiding nearby, and soon enough he set off again.

The sound of Trico's roar played in his mind over and over, and he couldn't help but laugh a little. "I'm coming, buddy. I'm coming."

He was like his ten-year-old self again, giddy and brimming with hope and energy. He kept walking, wind whistling through the trees. He was still in his tribe's territory. It would take awhile for him to get out.

For now, he was fine. He was determined, he was going to make it.

He was going to find Trico again.


	2. he taught me to find my way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first long, properly thought out piece of fanwork. Also the first fanfiction for The Last Guardian that I've seen so far. I can't wait to write all of this- hope you enjoy!

_Why did they shun him away?_

_He had saved me._

_He clearly cared for me._

_And I for him._

_Why did they do it?_

\---

Shirou sat, back against the rough trunk of a large oak tree, the sunlight casting a dappled pattern of shadows onto the grass. His pack lay open on the ground next to him, an apple in hand with a few bites taken from it. A soft breeze rustled the leaves of the tree, the air filled with the chirping of birds.

It was rather peaceful, not as loud or as exciting as the village. Calm, just the way Shirou liked it. He watched the clouds drift across the sky, eyes catching on a squirrel as it dashed through the trees.

He didn't move for a while. He was still close to the village, but out of the tribe's territory. He seemed relaxed, although he was well aware of his surroundings, listening for potential danger.

Nothing yet. He was safe for a while, he figured. Once he started crossing into other tribe territory, that was when it got dangerous. But for now, he was okay.

Shirou stood, stretching. He'd been sitting for a little too long. He started off again, following the river. Maeva had told him that the river led to the Valley. When Shirou questioned how she knew this, she just smiled.

He wanted to believe Maeva had been to the Valley before. She was one of the only ones who believed his story and felt sympathy for the beast. Perhaps she had encountered Trico herself? He knew he wouldn't get a clear answer, but Shirou was still curious.

The grass was soft under his feet, slightly wet and cool from the lack of sunlight. Trees towered over him, providing shade to walk in. He preferred it over the hot rocks of the Valley, with the sunlight shining down on practically every open space.

Trico never minded, but Shirou could remember the times he'd put a bare foot on the burning stone, or scraped up his hands on rock as he tried to climb. Fun times.

He kept walking, eyes drifting over the landscape around him. The forest was noisy, yet calming. There were animals conversing in the trees, and the sound of the river was relaxing. He rather enjoyed it.

He began to get lost in thought as he walked.

\---

Aoife peered down from the tree she was in, Shirou was still walking. He hadn't noticed her yet. Was he just stupid? She'd nearly fallen out of a few trees behind him, and he hadn't even noticed. Either he was very determined to get where he was going, or he was just ignorant.

Her grip on her spear tightened as she leaped from one branch to another. She totally hadn't stolen the spear from the village. And she totally hadn't fallen from one of the trees a few minutes ago.

Aoife was a skilled tree climber, thank you very much.

Very skilled.

She carefully crawled across, testing another branch before putting weight on it. She peered down at Shirou again, who was still intent on his walking. She was behind him, not wanting to be seen.

She'd had another dream the night before, about the creature Shirou spoke about. She wanted to see it in reality, so she figured following Shirou would lead her to it.

She wasn't entirely sure what Shirou would do if he saw her, but she assumed he'd get mad. A child, following him to the Valley? Too dangerous! She must let him sulk on his own!

Aoife snickered a little at her own thoughts, rolling her eyes. The man was asinine; he wasn't paying attention at all. It was ridiculous.

He had stopped a little further ahead. What was he doing? The girl peered through the branches, straining to see what Shirou was reaching for.

Was that an apple?

He had plenty of food! What was he doing, picking more? Aoife watched him put a few apples in his pack. When he started again, she ended up in the apple tree. She tucked a few apples into her own bag - she hadn't really packed anything before heading out. Poor planning on her part.

As the day went on, Shirou only stopped once more to rest. He sat against a tree, eating another fruit. Aoife ended up sitting a couple trees behind him, eating her own food and keeping an eye on the man so he didn't leave without her.

His gaze drifted towards her hiding spot. The girl went still after pulling her legs close, tucking herself into a small shape to hide behind the bushes.

"Who's there?"

Aoife jumped a tiny bit at his loud voice. Shirou awaited a response.

"Show yourself." Aoife held her breath. Upon hearing no response, the man muttered something along the lines of "just my imagination."

He continued walking shortly after that. The sun began to sink below the trees, scarlet and gold and pink streaking the sky with their soft hues, the colors slowly fading to purple. Shirou ended up stopping at that point, settling down for the night. Aoife didn't want to sleep in case he left without her, but she ended up dozing off anyways.

\---

Shirou could hardly get any sleep - he felt as if he were being watched. Shining the mirror's light around to reveal no one was a little calming, to say the least. He slept for a little while, only to wake at the first signs of dawn. An early start might calm his nerves.

He didn't notice the girl behind him, didn't spare a glance backwards anyways. She moved silently, with as much expertise a child could muster. He didn't hear the occasional creak of a tree branch, or a whispered swear as one dipped dangerously under the girl's feet.

He would regret this much later on.

For now, he was fine. No need to worry. Shirou kept walking, the rest of the day dragging on. He was in the middle of no-man's land, humans didn't want this area. Legends of beasts made Shirou uneasy - although he was sure he could handle these beasts. They wouldn't be anywhere near as difficult as Trico was.

So he was confident that the low growl in the bushes nearby was nothing to worry about. He stared at them, waiting. He didn't see Aoife perched nearby, waiting. Her form tense, expression one of worry.

The creature leaped out, Shirou diving away from its sharp claws. It had four paws, a beak, and wings. For a moment, Shirou nearly mistook it for Trico.

It was too small. Same coloring, different shape. A griffon? Those were supposed to be extinct or living in the South. What was one doing here?

Shirou pulled out the mirror, hoping the light would distract the creature. It seemed to work, the griffon's curious eyes following the light. It pounced, just as easy to please as a dog. It darted after the light, eyes wide with glee. Shirou watched with amusement, it acted almost like Trico. He stifled his laughter - as to not alarm the griffon, that was totally the reason (not like he wanted anybody to see him laughing like a little child, that was _not_ the reason thank you very much). He watched the critter pounce again, wings flying open as if it could catch the light that way. For a moment Shirou was playing with Trico, the beast rolling and yipping at him.

Aoife watched from the tree as tears began to run down Shirou's face. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes weren't. She hadn't seen this from the man before - he was always rather distant. He didn't seem to have emotion unless he was telling stories of the beast. He always got excited when the beast was even mentioned, eyes shining, demeanor shifting to that of a child's.

He was crying.

Aoife wanted to look away; it was unnatural to see him like this. Her pity only became stronger when he let out a choked noise, the light from the mirror vanishing. The griffon looked at him, creeping forward with its head cocked. Shirou carefully held out a hand to the griffon, and it nudged his hand.

Another choked sob. Shirou was absentmindedly stroking the griffon's feathers, and it seemed to be helping a small bit. The critter nestled closer, wings folded close, one taloned foot on Shirou's leg once the man sat. Aoife couldn't watch anymore, she turned her head. The only sound she could hear was the occasional hiccup from Shirou, and him mumbling to the griffon as if it was intelligent enough to understand him.

Shirou spent most of the day playing with the griffon.

\---

Metal feet hit the bare stone with heavy clanks. A being made up of teal smoke and iron armor walked along a pathway.

It froze at wing beats, ducking into a nearby archway. The soldiers knew the wing beats meant a beast. A beast meant danger. Ever since the Master had been destroyed, the beasts no longer obeyed them. Heavy footsteps. A stern yip, a childish whine.

A cub was outside. The soldier gripped its spear, there was a parent nearby as well. There had to be.

Two murmuring voices could be heard. The humans. If the soldier had a face, it's lip would've curled in disgust. The humans strutted around as if they owned the place. There were only a few, but they could calm the beasts easily. The soldiers served the humans in return for their services.

"It has stopped responding to our commands. Dumb animal, it whines and doesn't let us near its cubs much anymore. The mother is a little easier to deal with."

"We don't need to kill him, do we?"

"Not yet. I think it would kill _us_ if we tried."

"He's not just some pest that you can dispose of, Mitsu."

"It's up to Lani. You know this."

"Well, I won't be the one doing it."

\---

Shirou walked, griffon by his side. The critter had become attached to him, and he to it. It had dark feathers and resembled Trico to a degree. It eagerly carried out commands it was given. Shirou enjoyed her presence.

He absentmindedly reached up, only to remember that the griffon was small, not big enough to pet while standing (although he supposed if he bent down he could do it). He was remembering a creature that he had not yet reunited with - but it sure as hell felt like he had. He could hear Trico's whining and growling, the beast's angry snarls when soldiers appeared, his small and tense form when the glass designs appeared.

Shirou remembered it all. He bent down, picking up the griffon - it was the size of a small dog. He carried it on his shoulder, and she soon fell asleep. Aoife watched the event with a smile. Shirou's love for creatures was sort of cute. His face would light up when he saw an animal. His eyes would shine when a critter was mentioned. Shirou was a man of beasts, of griffons and Tricos and everything else he encountered.

The man would probably try to train a hellhound if given the opportunity. Hell, maybe even befriend dragons or something. Aoife felt like she was sort of making sure he _didn't_ try to do those things and get himself killed. So far he was fine, he hadn't gone after anything except the griffon.

His hands ran through the feathers on the griffon's back, between the wings. The griffon cooed in satisfaction, sleepily nestled against the man's neck and shoulder. The warm breath tickled his ear, the griffon's tail hanging down. It was adorable. A baby griffon, sleeping in Shirou's arm.

That thing had only known Shirou for a few hours and it already loved him. What was Shirou's secret? Aoife could hardly befriend a cat, how did anybody make long-lasting bonds with animals? It was sort of annoying.

She tested the branch ahead of her, carefully climbing onto it. It dipped under her weight dangerously, and she scurried to the trunk, the creaking of the branch worrying her. Aoife didn't want to get caught, and breaking a branch would probably do just that. She leaned against the trunk of the tree for a moment, trying to slow her heart rate. That had scared her more than she wanted to admit - it _was_ just a tree branch, after all.

She peered around the trunk, down at Shirou. The man was sitting now, eating an apple (and giving little pieces to the griffon at the same time). Aoife figured she could rest as well, opening her bag to see what food she had. A couple fruits, some dried meat - she wasn't sure if it was beef or pork, although she didn't really care - and a container of water. She could get more from the river if she had to.

She ate some of the meat and had some water, realizing how thirsty she was. It would be a good idea to make sure she drank more, she didn't want to get dehydrated or anything. She was also exhausted, but the day wasn't over yet.

Shirou stood, and Aoife groaned quietly. She got up, closing her bag, and began to follow him again. A bird chirped nearby, and the griffon cocked its head, staring into the trees in front of Shirou. It bounded forward, trying to claw its way up the tree to get the bird, and Shirou wearily called for it. Aoife watched in amusement as the griffon whined at Shirou, looking up into the tree with a forlorn expression.

The man called for it again, patting his leg, and the creature finally bounded back over. The two were already inseparable, that thing would probably fight for Shirou if he asked it to.

At the thought, Aoife froze when she heard muffled voices nearby. Shirou went still as well, eyes scanning the forest around him, and he softly called for the griffon to come closer. Aoife peered down from her branch, spotting the people heading Shirou's way.

One of them had a sword slung across their back, the other had a bow. What were they doing? Hunting? Aoife hadn't seen any other people doing so while she and Shirou had been walking. They could've been in another part of the forest, she figured.

Shirou didn't seem to like the idea of talking to anybody, and he ended up ducking into hiding before the hunters appeared.

"I don't get why we have to come all the way out here to hunt, it's ridiculous."

"Yeah, I don't like it either. Kinda creepy out here."

"It's just trees, Freya."

"There are stories of beasts that live out here."

"What's the worst that will show up? A squirrel?"

"I haven't _seen_ anything. No birds, no nothing. Even the river is empty."

Aoife glanced around, realizing the two were right. There were no animals in the area, the only thing Aoife had seen was the griffon Shirou encountered.

Speaking of Shirou, from Aoife's vantage point she could see the man crouched behind a large swath of bushes, one arm holding the critter close to him as if to shield it. It was kinda cute.

The hunters walked by, right past Shirou's hiding place. Aoife let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. She was mostly worried they would spot her, but they passed by without even glancing in her direction. Shirou peered from his hiding place, watching the two hunters leave. Once the forest was silent, save for the quiet bubbling of the river and the whispering rustle of the trees, Shirou came out from his hiding spot.

The griffon yawned, looking up at him with sleepy eyes. Either she was actually tired, or a great actor. Shirou couldn't resist, scooping up the critter and carrying her as he walked. Aoife held back an "awww", while it was adorable, she didn't want to really get attached to anything. If that thing died during the trip, Aoife didn't want to care that it did (it was too late she already loved the thing there isn't any going back. She will defend the griffon until the day she dies _watch her_ ).

The creature was asleep by the time they entered the deepest area of the woods, trees towering above them and casting shadows down to darken the forest floor. Tiny shrubs and dead leaves littered the ground, and Shirou didn't seem to like how much brush was in the way as he kicked a branch to the side, and ducked so one didn't snag on the griffon's feathers. That was cute. Protecting little baby griffon so she doesn't wake up. Shirou was such a dad.

It became harder to watch Shirou through the thick branches and leaves. Aoife considered going down and hiding in the bushes, although that wasn't a very good plan either. She stayed to the lower branches, which were thicker and sturdier anyways, so she wouldn't fall and alert Shirou to her presence.

He finally sat down after a while, the griffon squirming free of his grasp to run around and leap on shadows. Shirou pulled out the mirror, shining the light so he could play with the creature. Aoife watched in amusement until Shirou dropped the mirror as if it had burned him, the marks on his skin flaring to life, the light coldly illuminating the forest around them. It was only on his arms, he had dropped the mirror before it could spread. Aoife had no idea what was up with that, but it was concerning that Shirou didn't seem to know either.

The man sat for a moment, hardly moving except for the rise and fall of his back. The griffon had crawled over, nestling against him to try and comfort him. Aoife watched, she didn't want to break her cover but she did really want to help and make sure he was okay. He hunched over the smooth silver metal, she could hear him gasping for breath. The air felt colder, the bark of the tree under Aoife was icy cold, the leaves drooping, no longer bright and rustling. There was no breeze, and the silence surrounded the two. Even Aoife felt cold, a wave of exhaustion rippling through her, causing her to fall back against the tree to rest for a moment. She felt drained, as if she'd been running for four hours with no stopping.

She didn't question it, she was too tired. She didn't even register that she was falling - she was out cold before she hit the ground.

\---

The beast was back. The soldiers huddled inside, listening to the roaring creature outside. They stood with spears at the ready, stiff and unmoving. A woman peered through a barred off window out at the creature, two children behind her. One three, one five. Other people stood among the soldiers, watching the door with apprehension and mild terror. It shook as the beast clawed at it. A child whimpered, but was hushed by the woman's soothing words. The creature couldn't hurt them.

"I don't know why it's like this. It was fine before - now it's unhappy. Does it not like our presence?"

A man shook his head. "It was fine when there were only ten people. Now that there's more, it doesn't seem happy. They should just take it and its cubs out already. They'll only give us trouble, it's ridiculous."

"Siffrin, you know the elders could never harm them. Simmi is especially enamored with one of those cubs."

"Simmi is the only one who can get _close_ to those cubs. They should kill the beasts and be done with it."

Uneasy chattering swept through the group. A silence fell once all of the soldiers moved, spears raising as the wood began to crack. After another moment of scraping at the door, the beast finally seemed to be done. The sound of retreating footsteps caused the soldiers to relax, retreating into their stationary places lining the walls.

The people retreated to their own spaces, some people settling along the large hall, others backing into small rooms branching off of the hall. The woman sat down, the children trailing after her. She began to braid her daughter's hair.

"Mummy, will we ever get to _see_ the beasts?"

"Mox, don't be foolish. The beasts are very mean. They will try and hurt you."  
"But mama, Simmi says they're nice!"

The woman sighed, tying off the braid with a ribbon. "Moxie, darling. Your elders know more about the beasts, and while Simmi says they may be nice, she is hardly an elder at all. She only just joined their ranks. She doesn't know as much as Lani does. Lani _is_ the chief. They know more than all of the people of Irimora."

The girl's eyes grew wide. " _All_ of the people of Irimora?"

 

Isla smiled at her daughter. "Most of them. The other eight chiefs are just as smart as ours."

"What about the High Commander, mum?"

Isla laughed. "The High Commander, Hikir? Remember the stories, the legend of the man who destroyed the High Commander? That man saved Irimora from a terrible fate. The High Commander was evil, love. It's gone now. In fact, tales say it once resided in this very valley."

"Who was the man who destroyed it?" Mox leaned forward, curious.

"They say his name is Shirou. He still lives, he is one with the Ysuli tribe. He will supposedly sit and tell great stories of his adventures, if he wishes to."

Hikir bounced around his sister. "Why wouldn't he want to?"  
Their mother smiled sadly. "Sometimes, memories can be painful to recall. Time for bed now, loves."

The children both pouted, then ran off to the sleeping quarters, allowing their mother to tuck them in for the night.

\---

The moon shone through the windows, bathing the hall in a cold light, shadows obscuring the corners. The wind whistled through the windows, seemingly screaming warnings. Simmi sat on the floor, a fire in the middle of the group of elders.

"Lani will be here shortly."  
"Good. I'm worried. We need to discuss our findings."   
An older man hunched over the fire looked around at the other four. He opened his mouth to speak, then paused as a figure appeared at the end of the hall. Lani strode down the corridor, robes billowing out behind them as if the wind wanted to give them some dramatic flare. The elders bowed their heads for a moment, then relaxed as Lani sat.

"I know you all want to speak of what we've seen."

"He killed the High Commander, what more would he want with the place?" The oldest man spoke, voice creaky and quiet.

Simmi tapped her fingers against her leg. "He could wish to see how the Valley fares without its Master."

Lani tilted their head, allowing the other two to put their thoughts in.  
A silence fell, the only sound being the wind above their heads, the occasional shuffle of a soldier's foot, and the crackling of the fire. When the chief spoke, their voice was quiet.

"He probably wants to see an old friend. He became close with the beast, didn't he? He probably wants to see it again."

Simmi frowned. "The beasts are kind, but why would one protect a man?"

Lani shook their head. "The one beast. The male. He befriended it. Travelled with it. It returned him to his village. How could he just leave it, never to see it again? He's coming just to see it again. I don't know if there will be anything for him to see by the time he gets here - the beast is a danger."  
Simmi slammed her hand onto the stone ground beside her. "No! We can't kill the beast. I won't let you. It's warming up to us - you know it is."

"To us, maybe. To the rest of our people, it certainly isn't. If only that storm hadn't chased the dragons into our land, then we would be fine." Lani stared into the fire, eyes glazing over slightly.

They stood, sighing. "Put out the fire and go rest. We have a long day tomorrow."  
The elders retreated to their rooms, and the ruins were quiet.

A beast roamed the skies in the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a Tumblr that you can follow for updates (or just follow the tag IWCTD) tiny---vulpix.tumblr.com.


	3. he taught me how to rely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first long, properly thought out piece of fanwork. Also the first fanfiction for The Last Guardian that I've seen so far. I can't wait to write all of this- hope you enjoy!

_ He never was very vicious. _

_ He was always trusting and kind. _

_ He protected me most of the time. _

_ The least I could do was return the favor. _

\---

The sky was dark, save for the moon peeking out from behind thick clouds. A fire crackled in the depths of the forest, a man alert and on watch. He was finally realizing how stupid he'd been - a girl from his tribe had been following him the whole time and he hadn't noticed in his excitement to get going. Coia, the griffon, was curled up against Aoife to lend her warmth. 

The girl had been ice cold when Shirou picked her up. For a few terrifying seconds, he thought she had died. But she was breathing, slowly and steadily. He'd put her by the fire, instructed Coia to keep watch over her, then retrieved the girl's stuff from where she fell. A spear and a bag, that was all she was carrying. There  _ was  _ food in the bag, but Shirou didn't touch it. He simply put her stuff by his own, then sat and waited. 

He wasn't sure if he was mad at her or not. It was unsafe, going to the Valley, but a griffon could only provide so much company. He was already beginning to talk to himself, the way he had when he was alone and Trico was busy elsewhere. Mostly just him murmuring his thoughts to himself.

He looked up as Aoife shifted slightly. The girl slowly sat up, eyes opening. Shirou watched her; he was pretty sure he was more angry than lonely right now. He wanted to yell at her, or at least drag her back to the village, but that would take too long. No, he wouldn't send her back by herself. That would be much more dangerous. She would have to come with him, or at least follow him to the nearest village where she could be escorted home.

Aoife was watching him, brown eyes wide. They were the only part of her showing her fear. She clearly didn't  _ want  _ to be sent home.

Shirou finally decided to speak, instead of having a silent staring contest with the girl.

"What did you think you were doing?" His tone was colder and stricter than he intended. Aoife flinched.

"I - I was following you. To get to the Valley. I wanted to see this… this beast you talked about." She seemed fine. She could talk, look around, hear him. Perfect condition.

Shirou scowled, tilting his head at the girl. "I don't see why. It's dangerous, Aoife. First you get up in the middle of the night, then you follow me out into the wilderness. Your mother is probably worried sick."

Aoife glared right back. "I'm coming with you. I left a note for Ma, she'll be fine."   
"No, you aren't. The next village we pass, you're going to be escorted home from there." 

"Like hell I will be."

" _ Language _ ."

The girl had a haughty look in her eyes. She definitely wasn't going to just give up and go home. And after thinking about it for a moment, Shirou realized that it was possible he would need help in the Valley. If the soldiers still remained… he shuddered - didn't like thinking about what could have happened to him if he had been caught. What would they do if they saw him again? Would they have the same effect the mirror was having on him nowadays? He didn't like that thought either.

Aoife watched him, seeming to know his answer already.

"Fine." He put out the fire, the first rays of light poking through the heavy clouds. "You can come with me, but only if you promise to be careful and listen to whatever I say. Got it?"

She didn't seem to like the idea of listening to him, but she did say she'd be careful. That was enough for Shirou. The wind whistled past them, the air tense with energy. A storm was coming. They probably had enough time to find shelter. Shirou lead the way, Coia bounding after him with enthusiasm. Aoife watched the griffon in amusement.

"Coia, relax. We aren't going far." His attempts to calm the griffon didn't do anything. She was several feet ahead of them, leaping across the dry grass.

Shirou didn't want to know what she would do when there was mud all over the place. He could always make Aoife wash the griffon. The three ended up sheltering under some trees. The wind was strong, but not too bad. It was definitely raining, but there was no thunder or lightning like Shirou had expected. He supposed he was okay with that. The storm went by rather quickly anyways.

And the griffon was  _ ecstatic  _ when there were puddles of mud to play in.

\---

The storm was heavy over the Valley; flashes of lightning could be seen and the thunder was louder than a chorus of Tricos. The creature hid underground, watching his cubs splash and play in the pool of water. He watched the water, half-expecting a human to pop up, teasing him with the idea of food and playing. He whined, tail twitching. He ended up jumping down to join his cubs, letting them crawl all over him and pull him down into the water. His head instinctively swiveled around to check his back, a brief moment of panic settling in his stomach when there was no human gripping him there - but then he remembered the human was gone. He whined again, resurfacing, eyes glowing with agitation.

He wanted his friend to come back.

\---

Lani watched the soldiers march down the wooden pathways that their people had reconstructed for easy access to the place. The beast was always enraged whenever a soldier came into its line of sight, so Lani always kept an eye out for the creature. The glass-eye designs seemed to keep it away, so they kept those up along the pathways now. Sometimes they disappeared, however. Lani heavily suspected Simmi was removing them in pity for the creatures - but other times they would look down and see a shattered design on the rocks below, scorched by lightning, and Lani would know the beast destroyed it in a fit of anger or fear.

They hoped the creature wouldn’t end up taking out his anger on their people. 

Lani froze, hearing a cry. The soldiers all sped up simultaneously, entering the ruins to hide from the beast. The creature landed on the wooden walkways, tail lashing. It lifted like a scorpion’s, lightning flashing from his tail to shatter the glass-eye designs nearby. It tread across the walkways, head whipping back and forth in agitation. What was it looking for?

His wings spread, making him impossibly large and imposing. His horns glowed slightly, eyes gleaming in the sun. He seemed to be crying, the dark fur under his eyes resembling tear tracks. Lani felt pity for the creature, he always seemed so lost. His ears were flat, mouth open wide, cry piercing the air. He clawed at the wood, seeming to be scanning the area. His eyes landed on Lani, and his ears perked up. He stepped closer, sniffing, then his ears flattened again and he stepped back.

He was looking for a person. That person was clearly not Lani. The chief frowned, carefully approaching the creature. Lani briefly considered trying to link with the animal - but linking with something other than a human was always rather dangerous. It would be worth it though, to find out what was bothering the creature and causing him to terrorize the humans. They continued walking towards Trico, stopping in front of him.

He whined at them, lowering his head to look at Lani. They reached out, gently patting the critter’s nose. He whined more, gently nudging the chief. Lani smiled at Trico, rubbing the beast’s nose. They began to link - memories flashing through their mind. They saw a boy, covered in markings head to toe, leading the creature along through the ruins. Fighting alongside the creature. Destroying soldiers to protect the creature.

“It’s okay buddy,” they looked up at Trico, who watched them with curious eyes, “he’ll be here soon.”

\---

Shirou leaned against the tree Aoife was sitting in, not wanting to sit on the muddy ground. The sun was already out, the rain had passed quickly. Nearby, Coia was enjoying herself in the mud. The griffon was on her back, wings splayed out under her, tail wriggling in the brown goop. Shirou was glad she was having fun, but was dreading cleaning her up later. And her shape reminded him of Trico, how he loved to play in the water after it rained in the Valley.

He was managing not to cry. Without Aoife, he might've just let himself. He didn't want to worry her, but he refused to admit that - to himself or anybody else. The griffon kicked, sending a spray of mud towards Aoife. She jumped back, giggling. She had become attached to the griffon after only a few hours; she would defend it to the death if she had to. If he was being honest, Shirou would do the same.

Coia crawled out of the mud, shaking wildly. Her efforts were somewhat in vain, as the dirt clung to her feathers no matter how hard she shook herself. She whined at Shirou and Aoife, tail dragging.

“Come here.” Shirou patted his leg, sitting next to the river. Coia bounded over, mud flying from her wings as she flapped them.

He picked up the baby griffon, trying to keep as much mud off of him as possible. Coia squirmed as she was lowered towards the water - she clearly didn’t really like it. Shirou submerged her, placing her in the shallows. After a moment, she stopped trying to escape. She sat in the slow current, trying to clean her tail and wings.

“Have you ever cleaned a griffon?” Shirou called over his shoulder to Aoife, who looked up from where she was sitting.

“No.” She stood up, walking over. “Why?”

Shirou rubbed the griffon’s head. “Do you want to help me?”

Aoife glanced down at the muddy griffon who sat in the water, staring up at her with wide brown eyes. She smiled a little and sat. “Sure.”

Shirou hadn’t really ever cleaned a griffon, but he’d cleaned other animals (and also Trico), so he figured he knew what he was doing. He carefully began to rub Coia’s wings, wiping off mud and dirt. The griffon shook herself in irritation, trying to get him to stop. He rubbed the feathers, getting the filth out from in between them. He sat back, looking at Aoife.

“Your turn. The other wing.”

Aoife leaned forward, doing what he’d done. By the time she was done, the griffon was annoyed with the two of them and flapped her wings, trying to kick up the water. She managed to bound away from them, into a slightly deeper part of the river. 

“Coia, be careful.” 

The griffon squawked, glaring at Shirou. He patted his leg, beckoning the griffon over. Aoife rolled her eyes. "That's not gonna work."

She went over to her bag, digging out some meat and waving it in the air. "Coia, you want some food? C'mon, come get the food lil' guy."

Shirou watched Coia bound over, recalling how he had to do that to get Trico into the water. He smiled a little - mostly out of fondness for the memory, but he was also glad that Coia and Aoife liked each other. Then again, Coia seemed like the type of animal to love everybody. They began walking again, trudging through the muddy forest. Water dripped from the trees, and the sunlight sparkled on the dew. That caught Coia's interest multiple times, the griffon yelping whenever she nosed a wet bush and became doused in the water sitting on the leaves. It was somewhat amusing, somewhat adorable. Just like everything else about the griffon.

The day passed normally - hours of walking, only to stop and rest for twenty minutes to eat and relax. Aoife seemed like she was ready to keep walking after two minutes, but Shirou forced her to relax for a little while. He didn't want her wandering off without him, either. Some small part of him really cared for the girl - made him want to protect her as if she were his own daughter. Which she wasn't, of course, but Shirou did always have some sort of fatherly, overprotective instinct when it came to things smaller than him. Hell, he even felt that way about Trico - a giant, man-eating beast.

He wondered what the creature was doing now - was he flying around? Playing in the ruins with another Trico? Shirou wanted to know, wanted to watch the beast again. 

As the sun began to sink below the trees, they settled down to rest for the night. Shirou leaned against a tree, Coia curling up next to him in a tight little ball. Aoife climbed the tree, not listening when Shirou told her to come down.

"That's dangerous, Aoife."

"I've been doing it for the past few days, not gonna stop now."

Shirou sighed, falling back against the tree. There really wasn't any stopping Aoife - she just did what she wanted to do. Never listened, never thought about what she did before she did it. That part of her made Shirou think  _ stupid child _ , but he was also the type of person to never think things through, so he couldn't really call her out on that. And he remembered what it was like to not want to listen to people. After his encounter with Trico, he didn't want to listen to anybody. They would tell him to  _ forget about the beast. Leave those memories behind. Stop talking about the creature, nobody wants to hear it. _

Of course, Maeva wanted to hear about it. Maeva wanted to hear the entire story, start to finish. She always cared about what he said or did. She was like the mother he needed. And since his mother was always busy with his younger siblings, he did end up thinking of Maeva as his mother, more than he ever thought his real one was. His real mother never really seemed to care anyways. 

So he certainly hadn't gotten his intense parenting instincts from her.

He was too tired to argue with Aoife anyways. He leaned against the tree, eyelids already drooping in exhaustion. He yawned, resting his head against the tree, falling asleep after a few short minutes. 

\---

Lani sat on the cliff, looking out over the ruins below them. Plants thrived in the stone buildings, weaving through the stones and crawling up walls. It made for a beautiful piece of scenery. They didn't want to touch most of the ruins, although their people did. It was a home for the beasts, and ruining it might not be the best idea. And Lani knew the land was filled with magic, the air practically crackled with it. 

At most, it would be a temporary home, they would be able to return to their lands eventually. Hopefully. Lani didn't want to kill the creature, but if they had to… to keep their people safe…

They didn't fancy the idea. 

The sun was setting, but Lani didn't move. They kept their eyes on the line of mountains closest to them, knowing the beast was prowling them. Searching for the human he missed so dearly. It was almost touching, how much the creature cared for the man.

And that was another reason Lani despised the idea of killing the creature. If the Ysuli man showed up to find his friend  _ dead _ … Lani didn't want to be the cause of it. They figured they would leave the beast alone, although the tribe didn't seem too happy with this decision. It didn't matter, protecting nature had always been a strong belief of the Kuul, killing off an animal because a couple people and sentient pieces of armor were nervous around it was stupid. That was like saying dragons should be killed off because people thought they were scary. No, no creature deserved to die because it made people uncomfortable. Lani was a firm believer in that.

Besides, the Ysuli man would be there soon, and the beast would be content. It would no longer want to hurt the people. Lani had seen it.

What Lani had not seen, however, was how the rock under their feet was shifting. They leaped back at the last moment as it gave way, a chunk of the cliff face tumbling down into a canyon below. Lani stared down, eyes wide. That had been too close.

They turned and strode into the ruins. They heard another crack, and glanced to the side, seeing more rocks fall from other cliffs in the area. Something was going on. They didn't seem to notice the plants beginning to shrivel up and die, didn't notice how the magic made the air crackle and the atmosphere tense.

Lani was tired, and they ended up hiding away in a room in the ruins to sleep. They didn't worry too much about the cliffs breaking - it was an old set of ruins anyways, things were bound to break.

They weren't aware of how worried they ought to be. They never were.

\---

Silence.

The woman stood on the edge of the cliff, edging her way along - practically hugging the wall. She knew it was dangerous; the Valley. Lani wouldn't listen, the only elder who seemed to really listen was Simmi. But Simmi was unable to do anything, they were the youngest elder. They had no power. So the only thing the people could do was escape on their own. 

A few other people of the Kuul tribe followed the woman; the air was tense and seemed to be crackling and sparking with all of its magic.

There weren't enough magical artifacts to take the magic out of the air. The tower used to be the main balance for the magic, but now that it was destroyed, there was nothing leeching the magic out of the air.

If it kept building up, it could kill everything living in the Valley. Well, it would kill the humans. The Tricos and the soldiers would be fine. 

A man slips, nearly falls. Climbs back up without a word. 

Silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a Tumblr that you can follow for updates (or just follow the tag IWCTD) tiny---vulpix.tumblr.com.


	4. on the wind and sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's funny.  
> I see the Valley as my home, despite not living in it.  
> I've lived in the village for most of my life.  
> So why does it feel so unwelcoming?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i knOW ITS BEEN LIKE TWO MONTHS BUT I D I D I T  
> enjoy and pls dont kill me

_ It's funny. _

_ I see the Valley as my home, despite not living in it. _

_ I've lived in the village for most of my life. _

_ So why does it feel so unwelcoming? _

\---

It was a slow morning for the three, a light drizzle and grey skies dampening the mood. Aoife liked thunderstorms, she found the flashes of lightning and the bellowing thunder to be exciting - this drizzle was chilly and dull and annoying. The griffon seemed to be the same way, trodding along with her tail dragging through the mud. Shirou walked ahead of them both, glancing back every few minutes to make sure they were still there.

Aoife was impatient, she wanted to keep moving, but Shirou kept insisting that they rest. He didn't want them to be tired if they ran into a problem or a fight. 

Thankfully, they hadn't run into any problems yet.

Yet being the key word. She was on edge, something didn't feel right. They were in another tribe's territory. Traveling through was allowed, but Aoife still didn't like it. Stories of skirmishes always alarmed her when she was younger. Someone would talk about how another tribe was being irritating and indecisive that day, not letting them through, and then fights would start, and that's when Aoife would stop listening because she didn't want to hear all the gruesome details of how an arm was snapped or a leg was cut. 

Shirou seemed confident, so that put her a little at ease. Coia bounded alongside him, perfectly content with the weather. The griffon was always perfectly content - not that she particularly understood the dangers. She simply had her instincts, which were helping in small situations here and there. She helped them avoid holes and ditches and ruts and marshy, wet ground. It didn't keep Aoife from tripping every once in awhile. Coia would also whine at the two of them until somebody picked her up and carried her, as the critter would get tired and would crave attention. Shirou would happily cradle her in his arms and pet her. He was attached to the griffon - he would probably die for her if it came down to it.

The three of them stopped at a noise, a bush rustling. Shirou held the griffon back so she wouldn't go sniffing whatever was nearby, and Aoife climbed up the nearest tree to take a look. Shirou shot her a glare, she could be seen through the branches, but Aoife didn't particularly care.

Nearby, a few tribesmen were walking. They simply had spears with them, nothing more. If they attacked, they would be easy to fend off.

She dropped down, picking up her own spear. "Three tribesmen. They have spears but that's it."

"We're in Huiinal territory, they're usually quite peaceful. We will be fine."

Aoife was still uneasy, shifting her weight from foot to foot, tossing her spear back and forth. She cast a glance in the direction of the Huiinal men, worry in her gaze. Shirou seemed to pick up on it easily, smiling at her and ruffling her hair in an assuring way.

"We'll be fine."

"Who's there?"

The voice was sharp and demanding, yet cautious. Shirou gestured for Aoife to keep quiet, then called out.

"We're just passing through." 

Silence, then the bushes rustled as the three hunters pushed through. One was smaller than the others, seemingly a child. He looked like a miniature version of Shirou, minus the markings and odd silver eyes. 

"Ah, it is you. The fated one, the boy who returned from the Valley."

Shirou seemed uncomfortable with the title, he smiled and nodded slightly. "I suppose that is correct."

The Huiinal man spoke again. "It is an honor. Please, let us escort you to the village to rest awhile."

He looked alarmed for a moment, then swallowed and straightened himself, nodding. "Your offer is appreciated, we are grateful for your generosity."

Aoife kept herself from scoffing, she didn't want to go to another tribe's village, but Shirou was already walking, Coia walking by his side. The girl eyed the three Huiinal men suspiciously, readying her spear just in case, then began to follow the group.

\---

The creature crawled along the cliffside, tail lashing. He sniffed the air, wings pressed to his side. Rocks tumbled down the cliff, his talons dislodging large piles of the material. 

He leapt to a perch nearby, ducking into the ruins. His head still didn't brush the ceiling, even after thirty years. To him, those thirty years were awfully short yet agonizingly slow at the same time, the absence of his friend seeming to drag on forever. 

He emerged into the sunlight, stretching, talons brushing the edge of a large but shallow pool. He cocked his head, ears pricking forward at the feel of the water. He poked it, then bounded forward, splashing around. He rolled over, enjoying the cool water on his dry and dusty feathers.

After a few minutes he laid out on the dry stone, basking in the sunlight to dry and relax. He knew the humans wouldn't threaten him, if they could even get to him in the first place.

He glanced out over the cliffs and noticed a human.

The human seemed to be studying him, then drawing on a canvas in front of them.

Trico yawned, deciding it was none of his business, and rested his head on his talons. He fell asleep quickly, content and warm and happy, but alone.

\---

Upon entering the village, Shirou instantly seemed to become uneasy. He tensed up, beginning to shift his weight from foot to foot. Aoife didn't understand why - sure, she was cautious, but Shirou seemed like he was on the verge of panic. 

The way the tribesmen looked at him was unnerving, however. The child looked at him with awe, and the men looked at him with what seemed to be awe as well, but Aoife could see the contempt in the first man's gaze. The eyes of the people nearby suddenly seemed malicious and cruel, and Aoife's grip on her spear tightened.

She was probably just nervous, that was all. These people were supposed to be peaceful and kindhearted, and Aoife deeply believed in what she'd been told, not wanting to think otherwise.

They were lead to the largest house - the chief's quarters. The Huiinal were the kindest tribe, but they were also the one with the most strictly enforced caste system. Aoife always found it fascinating.

Undae was a kind yet strict chief, they were welcoming and kind, but Aoife felt like she could see something dark in the way they looked at Shirou.

Fear gripped her as Undae moved forward, but it was simply for a handshake, a common greeting in the tribe. It wasn't used anywhere else, really. Something still told Aoife to be wary, and so she watched with sharp eyes. 

"A pleasure and an honor, Shirou of the Ysuli." Undae's soft brown eyes moved to peer at Aoife - their gaze seemed somewhat harsh and intimidating, that of a snake. "And who is this?"

Shirou pulled the girl a little closer. "Aoife, a child of the tribe who is accompanying me. She made the decision, and I am willing to let her come with me."

"She must be a brilliant asset if you are letting her come along. Most children would cower in fear of the forest, or at the very least they would have trouble walking through. They've all heard the stories."

Aoife kept herself from scowling, trying to keep her temper in check for once. "I'm not afraid of the animals out in the forest."

"Most Ysuli never are afraid of animals. You're more afraid of the people, of the stories. Itsuki hardly trusts anybody - only Lani, and even then, they don't get along all that well. There's something holding your chieftain back, and none of us can quite figure out what it is."

"I'm sure they have a good reason to be wary." There was venom in Shirou's tone. Undae nodded.

"Of course, of course. I always trust their judgement. They are much smarter than the rest of us. The only one who has more power than all of us would be Kitaru, but you already know this."

Aoife did not, in fact, know any of this. 

She had never been told stories, her mother was always busy with her siblings, and so she never heard the tales behind the daily tribe life. She made a mental note to ask Shirou about some things later, when they were on the move again.

"Silfio, why don't you bring our guests to the temporary accommodations?"

Aoife looked up, shuffling even closer to Shirou, who shot her a reassuring smile. They both knew something wasn't right.

"I appreciate the gesture, but with all due respect, we must be going."

Undae's eyes narrowed, no longer kind. "... It would be in your best interests to stay for the night, to rest."

"I assure you, we will be fine."

"I'm sorry, but I can't just let you leave."

Aoife gritted her teeth. "What do you mean?"

Undae looked at her, as if they had forgotten she was there. "... Oh. You may be able to leave, child, but this one… I'd rather not let him go too quickly."

Aoife lifted her spear a tiny bit, and Undae smiled at her. "Oh, don't be like that. You're surrounded by soldiers, young lady. Although…" Harsh eyes examined Aoife, Undae's head cocked, staring and unblinking like a snake.

"You would make a good warrior, wouldn't you? Usually the men take that job, but there have always been exceptions. Urvraili, Terin, Lailewn, there are many great female warriors throughout history."

Aoife glanced at Shirou, who seemed to be frozen in place. The only sign that he was still functioning was the way his eyes darted around, as if he were studying the scene. Aoife trusted him enough to believe he would find some way out of the situation. He met Undae's gaze, eyes narrowing with anger.

Aoife decided to try and dig for information, see if she could buy them time.

"But why would you want either of us?" She tried to sound as innocent as possible - Undae didn't look too smart, but they  _ were  _ a chieftain. They were picked for their job because of their intelligence and their strength.

But Undae seemed to buy the innocent child card. "That's simple, child. This man has magic in him, making him incredibly useful. Not only that, but with him, we can easily control the beast that resides in the Valley, and maybe even the soldiers that live there too."

"The soldiers don't live, they're hunks of metal and clay." Shirou seemed to spit the words out, ice in his tone and his posture stiff.

"Well, the beast will be ours. That is all I want. Anyways, Silifio, lock him up and take her to the other children. Get rid of her spear while you're at it. And kill the griffon, it's useless to us."

If they hadn't crossed the line before, Undae certainly had now. Shirou lunged forward, decking the chieftain in the jaw, pulling his mirror off his back and slamming it over their head before any other warriors could stop him. Everything seemed to go in slow motion, as if she were underwater. She heard Shirou's muffled yell, heard more noises, saw people running towards them. She scooped up the griffon, turning and bolting, things moving quickly again, things moving faster than before, she was flying through the trees, Shirou right behind her. They had to be far enough away already, they were moving so quickly, she didn't want to stop running -

Aoife found herself falling, having tripped over a rock. She slammed against the ground, pain blossoming in her skull for a moment before everything went quiet.

\---

Shirou moved quickly, carrying Aoife deeper into the woods. She’d tripped and hit a rock - sort of a stupid way to get knocked out - but he wasn’t going to just leave her there. That’d be cruel, and she was also proving to be good company. The trip had been boring until she showed up.

He finally sat down, Coia sitting next to him. He laid the girl down next to a bush, then started gathering sticks and other flammable materials nearby so he could start a fire. He finished setting it up, then dug in his bag for something to light it with.

After lighting the fire, he turned to look at Aoife, only to find Coia sitting on the girl’s stomach, watching him intently.

“Coia. Off. Come over here. There’s a fire right here. You don’t need to sit on her to be warm.” The griffon turned her head, ruffling her feathers.

“Coia.”

She squeaked at him, puffing up her wings. He gave her a scolding look.

After a moment, a hand pushed Coia off, and Aoife sat up.

“That was faster than expected.” Shirou sat down, patting his leg. The griffon bounded over, tail waving in greeting. 

“What, I trip over a rock and you think I’ll be out for days? The sun’s setting, it’s been a few hours, that’s plenty of time for me to be passed out.” She rolled her eyes, scooting back and leaning against a tree.

“No, I think you’re strong. I know you are. But you’re still young, and still rash and impulsive. Kind of like I was.” He shook his head, rubbing the griffon’s head. Aoife scowled at him.

“Like you’re not still impulsive.”

“I can be.” He scratched under Coia’s chin. “I’m not saying that I’m not. I’m just saying that you should be more careful next time and watch where you’re going. I know that in the heat of the moment you were probably scared and panicking, so was I, so was Coia.” 

He shook his head. “And thank you for buying us time. Undae may be clever, but I think you’re smart enough to trick them.”

“Her. She doesn’t deserve to be a chieftain. Why should I refer to her as one?”

His face became stern. “They were chosen by the gods, Aoife. So it’s not really up to them. They gave up the comfort of normality so they could lead their tribe. They’re just a little misguided. That’s all.”

Aoife looked like she was about to argue, but then thought better of it. “They talked about famous warriors. Do you know any stories about them? I haven’t heard a good story in a while.”

Shirou raised an eyebrow, but was smiling. “I know a few. Are there any specific ones you want to hear?”

“Undae said something about… Terin? I think that was the name.”

"Yes. Terin. One of the greater Osona warriors. She is well known for her bravery, and her powers."

Aoife leaned forward. "Powers?"

Shirou took his mirror and laid it flat on the ground. "Yes, powers. I can explain them through the story if you quiet down and listen." 

A soft, green-blue mist gathered around the mirror, and Shirou seemed to form a human figure with the mist by simply pulling it up.

"And a story is always better with visuals." Aoife stared in awe as he put together a small village, smaller people wandering it.

"Terin was not a chieftain, even though many say she was. She was actually an Elementi, but people like to say her powers came from the gods and her chieftain status. Her powers actually came from Quinona. You do know what Quinona is, correct?" He glanced at Aoife, who nodded, watching the people that wandered the miniature village.

"It's the Guardian, right?" She was scratching under Coia's chin, the griffon seemed more interested in the mist than anything else, though.

"It is the Guardian, yes. It is the First Guardian, however. Quinona was the first Guardian to come into the world. Now, who is the current Guardian?"

Aoife rolled her eyes. "There's only one left and we're going to see him, it's Trico."

Shirou looked amused, forming Quinona from the mist. "That would also be correct. And what's the difference between Quinona and Trico?"

"Quinona was dragonlike, irritable, clever, and would choose five beings to be Elementi, not just one. Also people respected Quinona."

Shirou nodded. "Good." He pulled a mountain out of the mist, Quinona curling around it, her seven eyes all staring at Aoife, unblinking. The girl shifted in discomfort, trying to look at anything but the dragon.

"Now, Quinona had to pick the first five Elementi - one for Fire, one for Earth, one for Water, one for Air, and one for Spirit. Terin was the first Spirit Elementi." He was about to continue when Aoife butted in.

"Wait - so, would that make you an Elementi? If Trico like, chose you or whatever?" If he was, that made him so much cooler in Aoife's eyes. He had some sort of power if he was able to manipulate the mirror like that.

"I've never extensively thought about that, to be perfectly honest. I mean, I definitely don't have the power to control the elements. That would be the first clue."

"Well I mean - maybe you got something less evident than Fire. Maybe you got like, Spirit or something. I bet it'd be hard to figure out how to use those powers." Aoife looked excited now, and Shirou hated shooting her down like this, but it wasn't possible.

"I would know if I were an Elementi. Trust me. Can I continue the story?"

"Yeah, yeah." She returned her attention to the mirror, watching Quinona pace in circles around the mountain, watching the both of them. 

"So, Terin was the first Air Elementi. She would fight many battles to protect the people, one of which that stuck out more than others. It was the Battle of Okwana. You've heard of it, I hope. The one where Okwana, Goddess of the Stars, is stripped of her title and turned into a raven due to her wrongdoings."

"I've heard about that. But what role did Terin have in it?" Aoife watched in awe as Shirou swirled the mist, creating a barren field. Quinona crawled onto the field, snaking forward as another beast rose from the mist, turning dark with specks of silver, thousands of beady silver eyes blinking like real stars. Clawed misty hands tore through the ground as the beast propelled itself forward, while Quinona charged forward as well, the beasts colliding. A figure sat on the back of the Guardian, winds whipping up the mist alongside them, blowing sand into the Eyes of Okwana.

The beast roared, the sound echoing in the small clearing. Aoife jumped as Okwana reared up, hands slamming into the mist again, Quinona recoiling while Terin whipped up tornadoes, mist swirling around Okwana and enfolding her, the images on the mirror fading after a moment, sinking back into the mist, then disappearing.

"They say Terin defeated Okwana, blinding thousands of her eyes and ripping off her limbs, killing her cold silver light. This allowed the other gods to banish her, to turn her into a raven. The only thing they couldn't take from Okwana was her eyes. And so now, there is a legend, for every raven you see, you only see two of its eyes. But they have thousands. And they are all watching. And they are all reporting back to the gods. Ravens are messengers, cursed to be that way due to their ancestor's wrongdoings. And so the Eyes of Okwana are always watching us, making sure we do no wrong."

Aoife shuddered. Shirou set the mirror aside.

"Alright. Now why don't you get some rest?"

The fire went out as Aoife curled up beside a bush, Coia in a tight ball beside her. Shirou sat and watched her, dozing off.

And a raven watched in the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> changed my tumblr to cacowhistle.tumblr.com. follow me there for more updates!

**Author's Note:**

> I have a Tumblr that you can follow for updates (or just follow the tag IWCTD) tiny---vulpix.tumblr.com.


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